Valles Caldera
| Valles Caldera | |
|---|---|
Cerro la Jara, an approximately 246-foot (75 m) high forested rhyolite lava dome within the caldera | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 11,253 ft (3,430 m) |
| Coordinates | 35°54′N 106°32′W / 35.900°N 106.533°W |
| Geography | |
| Location | Sandoval County, New Mexico, US |
| Parent range | Jemez Mountains |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Complex Caldera |
| Volcanic arc/belt | Jemez Lineament and Rio Grande Rift |
| Last eruption | 68,900 ± 1,000 years BP |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | New Mexico State Road 4 |
| Designated | 1975 |
| Valles Caldera National Preserve | |
|---|---|
Valles Caldera | |
| Location | Sandoval and Rio Arriba counties, New Mexico, United States |
| Nearest city | Los Alamos, New Mexico |
| Coordinates | 35°54′00″N 106°31′59″W / 35.9°N 106.533°W |
| Area | 89,766 acres (363.27 km2) |
| Established | July 25, 2000 |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Valles Caldera National Preserve |
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The Valles Caldera (or Jemez Caldera) is a 13.7-mile-wide (22.0 km) volcanic caldera in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico. Hot springs, streams, fumaroles, natural gas seeps, and volcanic domes dot the caldera landscape. The highest point in the caldera is Redondo Peak, an 11,254-foot (3,430 m) resurgent lava dome located entirely within the caldera and surrounded by moat-like flows of rhyolitic solidified lavas. Located within the caldera are several grass valleys, or valles, the largest of which is Valle Grande (locally /ˈvaɪ.eɪ ˈɡrɑːndeɪ/ VY-ay GRAHN-day), the only one accessible by a paved road. In 1975, Valles Caldera was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service with much of the caldera being within the Valles Caldera National Preserve, a unit of the National Park System. The area has a varied history involving cultural significance, economic resources, scientific studies, and complex geological setting.